Dear colleagues

Apologies for cross-posts.

The Indian and Chinese Religions Compared Unit of the American Academy of Religion is inviting proposals for the 2021 Annual Meeting (hopefully) to be held in San Antonio, Texas, November 20-23. The deadline for submissions is 5pm EST on Monday, March 1.


Please see our CFP at https://aar-conference.imis-inspire.com/a/page/ProgramUnits/indian-and-chinese-religions-compared-unit  and for a co-sponsored session https://aar-conference.imis-inspire.com/a/page/ProgramUnits/co-sponsored-session-icrc-rmh .


The AAR is using a new online system for submissions, replacing PAPERS with INSPIRE. You can find information on how to use the new system at 

https://aar-conference.imis-inspire.com/a/page/Instructions/inspire-instructions

and

https://aar-conference.imis-inspire.com/a/organizations/main/home

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Call for Papers

This unit invites proposals for either whole panels or individual papers on the following topics.

 

Border Regions of India and China

How is the concept of ‘border’ constructed, discussed and represented in religions such as Buddhism, Hinduism, Confucianism and Daoism? What are the directions of influence across and along these borders in historical and recent contexts? What are the connections between borderline and liminal practices/beliefs and geographical border regions?

 

Interaction of Local Gods and Cults with Institutional Religion

In which ways have local gods and cults interacted with institutional religion both within Indian and Chinese traditions and across boundaries? How do cult elements of South Asia travel into and manifest in China and vice versa? What was the contact and exchange between mainstream and ex-centric traditions and cultures? Which is “mainstream”: State and court religion, or local and popular rituals and practices?

 

Comparing Tantric and Daoist practices

This panel invites in-depth comparative exploration of Tantric and Daoist practices. What, if anything, do they have in common, and what is unique to each? How are such practices expressed in different languages? Papers may focus on texts and/or material culture to draw out the imbricated aspects of these religious practices. Themes may include body, breath, visualization, ritual, hygiene, public space, architecture, social practice, etc.

 

Co-sponsored with Religion, Medicine and Healing Unit

The Materiality of Asian Medicines and Religions Compared

This panel invites paper proposals that compare the intersections of Asian medical traditions with Buddhism, Daoism, and/or Hinduism, with a particular focus on the material culture of healing. Topics may include the comparison of medical practices and practitioners, botanical knowledge, other materia medica, geographical routes of transmission, body map illustrations, surgery, merchants and markets, biographies, alchemical practices, gendered bodies, physical movements and bodily hygiene (such as yoga, martial arts, diet, etc.), food, medical records, and other material aspects of healing. Proposals should also attend to related theoretical issues.

Proposals should be submitted through AAR’s INSPIRE system (https://aar-conference.imis-inspire.com/a/organizations/main/home).


Dan Lusthaus, Harvard University

Karen O’Brien-Kop, University of Roehampton

Co-Chairs



Dr. Karen O'Brien-Kop (FHEA)
Lecturer in Asian Religions and Ethics
Convenor: BA Religion, Theology, and Culture

Office hours: Wed 3.00-4.30pm (please email for appointment)
Howard 210, School of Humanities
University of Roehampton, London SW15 5PH
karen.obrien-kop@roehampton.ac.uk
Tel: +44 (0)208 392 3427

New edited volume here: Routledge Research Handbook of Yoga and Meditation Studies (2020)




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